Nicholas Elric
by Cole224
Summary: After thirteen years of searching, when Albus finally finds Harry, he's in for a few surprises. Set with FMA Brotherhood storyline. No pairings except maybe some minor Ed/Winry.
1. Chapter 1

I guess, technically, this isn't a direct sequel to Long Distance Call which is why it's a separate story. There are some changes, since I only meant Long Distance Call to be an amusing little oneshot and hadn't planned, at first, to continue it.

Most of this story takes place in the Brotherhood timeline starting during the time that the boys were searching for May. So, Ed is sixteen, Al fifteen, and Harry fourteen. There will be flashbacks, though, and a bit at the beginning set in the wizarding world from Dumbledore's point of view. This story will mostly be cannon for FMA except with Harry added in, so no real pairings except maybe some minor Ed/Winry.

I don't own anything.

_When Harry Potter disappeared and was presumed dead, Albus Dumbledore did not panic. He stood in the ruins of the Potter's home at Godric's Hollow and it was true, he was saddened deeply by the deaths of Lily and James Potter. _

_Sirius Black was next to him, on his knees, half mad with grief. He was speaking, choking out the words through sobs, blaming himself for the deaths and convinced that his godson had shared in the same fate as Lily and James. _

_Albus, however, was not convinced. He did not voice it but he knew that Harry was alive. He had to be. The prophesy was proof enough of that. He would just have to find Harry. He was concerned…that someone had come and taken the boy away but he couldn't have gotten far. Albus would find him._

Xxxxxxxxxxx

_Thirteen years later_

Finally. Albus checked the intricate and powerful spell he had crafted. He had finally done it. It had taken thirteen years, but he truly believed that he had finally found a way to find Harry Potter. He had yet to tell anyone of this discovery, of course.

Life had moved on after the events of that Halloween. Voldemort had been defeated, the wizarding world had rejoiced. Peter Pettigrew had been found out as the one who had betrayed the Potter's. Shortly after being found, he was sentenced to life in Azkaban, where he still resided.

Albus considered briefly visiting Sirius Black before he followed through on his plan but dismissed the idea. Sirius had not recovered well in the aftermath and it would not due to give him false hope on the rare chance that Albus was wrong in his calculations.

So, Albus activated the spell and soon after disappeared from his world the same way Harry Potter had thirteen years earlier.

It was painful, this traveling. It was clear that he was traveling a great distance and when his vision cleared after the spell played out, he found himself in what appeared to be a muggle city.

Albus frowned, thinking that Harry may have been raised by muggles all this time. He had searched the world for years and found no trace of Harry. Harry's letter was not sent upon his eleventh birthday, which lent weight to the wizarding world's theory that he was dead and Albus' that he was simply sent somewhere far away.

Fortunately, he had not appeared in a densely populated area, and instead found himself midway down a deserted alley. When he came out of the alley, he got a sense of how big the city was. He still had work if he wanted to find Harry. And there was still a chance that Harry would not be there.

Albus learned several things in the next couple of hours while he walked the city. He learned that his earlier theory that Harry had been taken from his world entirely had been right. There were not many things that could surprise Albus Dumbledore, but he found himself surprised at this knowledge, even if it had been among one of his theories about what had happened to Harry.

He spoke with several people to get the gist of where he was. The city was large and Albus' first thought was that it would take him a while to find Harry in it. That, however, turned out not to be the case and, technically, Harry found him.

He was walking down one particular sidewalk, thinking that he should perhaps find a place that he could stay until he found Harry when he was stopped by a blond headed boy.

"Hey, you seen this cat?" The boy asked right off, showing Albus a drawing of an animal of some sort. "I'm trying to find the girl who owns it."

Frowning slightly at the abruptness of the boy's tone, Albus shook his head. "I have not."

"Great." The boy's shoulders slumped.

"Ed!" A new voice called before the boy could walk away. The blond turned at the call and, once again, Albus found himself in a state of surprise. There was the boy he had been searching for. Harry Potter…running towards them.

Albus had confidence that he would find Harry but he hadn't thought it would be so easy to find the boy in such a big city.

"Any luck?" Harry asked when he reached them, directing the question towards the blond boy and completely ignoring Albus.

"No," the blond grumbled. "I guess we could go to the library and see if there are any books on it."

"Harry," Albus said before the boys could leave. The boy's gaze snapped to his, and Harry's eyes widened, the shock in them clear.

"How do you know that name?"

"I have been searching for you for quite some time, Harry," Albus said. The boy backed up a step.

"My name is _Nicholas," _the boy stated firmly, taking yet another step back.

"What's going on?" The blond asked, and then got in between Albus and Harry when Albus tried to get closer to the boy. "Hey, back off." There was clear concern on his face. "Nicky?"

Albus was a bit more surprised to see guilt in the boy's eyes when he looked at the blond. For a moment, he looked trapped…and then he ran. The blond glared heatedly at Albus for a moment before he took off as well, chasing after Harry.

Xxxxxxxxx

It wasn't a conscious decision on his part, the running. He didn't remember deciding to. But he had and he hadn't stopped when Ed starting calling his name behind him. But those memories. They were something he had been trying not to think about for a very long time.

He turned into an alley and finally stopped short when he confirmed that he was alone. Nicholas had known he was adopted since he'd been a very small child and, noticing the differences between him and his brothers, he'd asked his mother outright about it.

Guilt started to settle in on him again. Those memories, the ones he'd gained at the age of nine, were something he hadn't even told Ed or Al about.

"Nicky! What the hell's going on?"

Nicholas straightened when both Ed and Al, who had spotted them running from down the street, turned into the alley.

"Who was that guy?" Ed pressed.

"What guy?" Al asked, gaining a quick explanation from Ed.

"I don't know," Nicholas admitted. "But…he was calling me Harry. That was my name…before."

"Uh…what?"

"How do you even know that for sure?" Ed asked incredulously. "You weren't even two years old when Mom found you!"

Nicholas hesitated before answering. "I kind of got a replay on certain things."

"How?" Ed asked, and then his eyes widened. "The Gate?"

"But…but that was five years ago," Al pointed out. "Why haven't you said anything?"

Nicholas shrugged and was saved from having to answer when the man from before stopped at the end of the alley and spoke.

"I don't mean to interrupt," he said, raising his hands when Ed automatically took up a defensive posture. "I only wish to talk."

"Yeah, well, if he doesn't want to talk to you, he doesn't have to," Ed said, still glaring at the man.

"Harry, please. You still have family that misses you dearly."

"He has family right here!" Ed burst out and Nicholas' stomach twisted, not only at the man's words but also at Ed's tone. Ed's default emotion had always been anger and there was a good deal of that there but under that, Nicholas thought he heard fear too.

He put a hand on Ed's arm, pulling the older boy back before his temper snapped completely. "I told you before, my name is Nicholas," he said first and then hesitated. "But…" He turned his gaze on his brothers, imploring them silently to understand. Al only nodded.

"Alright," Ed said out loud, although he didn't sound particularly happy. "We can go back to our room and talk."

"Excellent!" Albus said and allowed the three boys to lead the way, none of them truly aware of the plans formulating behind those twinkling blue eyes to get Nicholas back to the wizarding world by any means necessary.


	2. Chapter 2

Arms crossed, and refusing to sit, Nicholas Elric listened to Albus Dumbledore's explanation. Flanked by his two older brothers, he remained silent during the first part. Ed didn't look happy with the situation and Al had voiced his own reservations about the old man sitting on the couch in the room Edward had rented upon their arrival in Central.

Nicky did not interrupt when Dumbledore began an explanation about his birth parents and how they had died. He'd known that already, of course, but he couldn't exactly explain how he'd known that, not without revealing what had happened with The Gate, which would lead to explanations about Al's appearance and Ed's automail.

He did not want to explain that, something that, at the end of the day, was so very _personal, _to someone he didn't know. For his part, Dumbledore didn't seem so surprised when it came to Al's appearance. In fact, most people seemed to take it in stride that a boy would walk around in a suit of armor. Beyond the surprise that Ed was, in fact, the Fullmetal Alchemist and not Al, nobody seemed to question it overly on most days.

Ed was the genius, anyway. Nicky could perform alchemy and, thanks to The Gate, could do it without a circle as well, but he'd never claimed to be a natural with it the way that Ed was nor did he claim to have as much dedication as Ed did.

Ed was a prodigy, passing the state alchemy exam at the age of twelve. And Al? Al had never been far behind Ed. Nicky had no doubt that Al would have passed if he'd taken the exam as well. Plus, he was a lot more level headed than Ed had ever been.

"Hold on, magic?" Ed's incredulous voice broke Nicky out of his thoughts and he looked up. "There's no such thing."

"I assure you, there is," Dumbledore said, unperturbed by Ed's tone. The man demonstrated this _magic _with a wave of what he called a wand. Ed's eyes narrowed and lit with the same interest that had been there when he'd realized that the alchemy Scar and that girl had been using was different than the kind they'd learned as kids.

"So, you channel through that?" Ed asked. "You can't do it without it?"

"There are some who have learned to do a bit of wandless magic but it is not a common thing."

"But anyone can do it?"

"No, I am afraid not. You must be born a wizard."

"But where does it come from? And how do you know who is and isn't one if you need training to even use it?"

"There are signs. When wizard or witch is young, they often show displays of accidental magic."

Ed raised an eyebrow at this and glanced over at Nicky, who shrugged. That certainly explained a certain few instances that had happened when they were younger but those weird and, at the time, unexplainable things had stopped when Nicky was nine and he had even forgotten about them up until that moment.

"Where does it come from?" Ed repeated.

"We are born with it," Albus said again.

"How does that even work? And what makes one more powerful than the other? Like, if you were sitting next to a guy the same age as you with the same training, what makes you more powerful than him?"

Nicky sat back, a little amused as the conversation progressed. Dumbledore didn't seem the least bit put off by the questions. He showed no signs of annoyance and Nicky wondered if he ever did.

"So, if Nicky never came here, he would have went to this school of yours and learned to shout words in a different language and call them spells? Why wouldn't it work the same in a different language?"

Nicky listened to the conversation for several more minutes before he finally spoke up. "Excuse me," he called, gaining the attention of the other three in the room. "Can I ask something?"

"Of course, Harry," Dumbledore said, completely ignoring his request _not _to be called that.

"What sort of name is Hogwarts? Who named that school anyway? I mean, it sounds like a joke. If _I _were muggle-born as you call it and received that letter, I'd think it was a joke just from the name. Also, what's with the other names? Salazar Slytherin? Rowena Ravenclaw? Godric Gryffindor? Do all wizards name their kids like that?"

For the first time, Dumbledore frowned. He hadn't frowned during any of _Ed's _questioning, but he frowned at Nicky's. Kind of made Nicky think the man was completely dismissing Ed even as he answered his questions.

"I do not believe now is the time for jokes."

He hadn't exactly been joking, though, really. At least, it told him something about the old man, even if it was something he'd already guessed at. This guy had only allowed Ed and Al in the room because Nicky wouldn't talk to him without the other two boys.

Dumbledore had already dismissed both Ed and Al in his mind. Which, in Nicky's personal opinion, was a mistake. Most people admittedly didn't underestimate Al lately, considering. But Ed? They'd crossed paths with _way _too many people who automatically underestimated Ed due to his age and height.

But Ed wasn't the youngest state alchemist in existence for nothing and even though he was given to the…_occasional_(and by occasional, he meant at the very least once a week)temper tantrums, he still hadn't truly been a child since he'd been eleven.

"Maybe it's a defense mechanism," Nicky finally answered out loud, unable to help himself. "Like Ed's temper tantrums."

"I do not throw tantrums!" Ed yelled, turning his glare to his brother.

"Sure about that?" Nicky asked, sticking a finger in his hear and wiggling it.

Ed grumbled and even if he would never admit to being short, and would even loudly and violently protest against it, he couldn't protest that his temper was a bit…._short. _

"I hate you," Ed said after a moment.

"Nu uh," was Nicky's completely not childish reply.

"Boys," Dumbledore interrupted before Ed could reply, looking decidedly uncomfortable. Nicky decided it had to do with the total lack of animosity in both Nicky and Ed's voices during the short squabble. He briefly considered starting a conversation with Al as well, to further make the man even more uncomfortable.

"I don't think any of this really matters in the end, though," Nicky stated, turning serious. It really didn't, no matter how curious he had been about his origins.

"Of course it matters, my boy. If you are to learn magic…"

"But I can't do…what you can do," Nicky said, reluctant, the same as Ed was, in calling it magic. Even if he had seen things done that should have been impossible through alchemy. "Not anymore anyway."

"It's what you gave up, isn't it?" Al asked. And that was one thing Nicky had told them. They had both been simply relieved that he hadn't woken up bleeding to death the way that Ed had or without a body the way that Al had.

Giving up the ability to use some unknown power that he'd never even known he'd had…

"Gave up?" Dumbledore asked, his tone turning sharp for the first time. "What are you talking about?"

Ed and Nicky exchanged a glance but Nicky shook his head. Even if most people figured out what they'd done when they caught sight of Ed's automail or realized that there was no little boy hiding in the massive suit of armor, telling a complete stranger the details of that was not something any of them wanted to do.

"It doesn't matter," Nicky said. "But I don't have it anymore."

"That is simply not possible," Dumbledore said firmly. "You cannot give up your magic."

Nicky raised an eyebrow. He was of the belief lately that pretty much anything was possible. After the_ homunculi_, watching his oldest brother get _eaten _by one and still survive it, after what had happened with Ling…and all that had happened in a matter of days.

"You just told a story about a guy who couldn't die and a baby that destroyed his powers only to be sent to another world and, from what I can gather, back in time too. Who're you to say what's possible?"

"But you're magic is a part of you," Dumbledore argued.

"Not anymore." He paused. Dumbledore did not look convinced and Nicky frowned.

"Uh, guys," Al interjected before Nicky could argue the point further. "I think we might be getting off track." He turned his glowing eyes on Dumbledore. "You came here for another reason. You want something, something other than just telling Nicky all of this."

"I had hoped to bring him home, it is true."

"No way!" Ed stood, his temper flaring at the suggestion.

"You do have family left in the wizarding world," Dumbledore pressed on. "You're parents were killed, yes, but there is also your Godfather."

"Godfather?" Nicky repeated, eyes wide.

"Yes and he has been in a bad way since your disappearance. I had hoped to bring him some bit of good news," the man said mournfully.

If anything, Ed looked even angrier. "You're trying to guilt him into leaving!" He declared loudly.

"There is also the prophesy." Dumbledore went on another explanation on that, emphasizing certain points of the story, of how many people had died and would die if it wasn't fulfilled. Ed remained standing, his fists clenched throughout and Nicky suspected the only thing that kept him from attacking the old man was Al's heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Bet you've been planning out that little speech awhile right?" Ed asked, seething. He wasn't yelling yet but Nicky figured he wasn't too far off from it. "Emphasizing just the right points so he'd feel guilty and obligated."

Nicky watched Dumbledore closely while Ed said that. He had to agree. It might have worked, too, if Nicky had never been found by Trisha Elric. If he had been in some orphanage, or perhaps ended up on the streets or something.

But he hadn't. He'd ended up in a family full of geniuses. And even if he hadn't inherited the natural intelligence that his brothers had, both of them had instilled in him, at a very early age, the profit of hard work and study.

He'd also ended up in a family full of love. Trisha Elric had loved all of her boys, all _three _of them, and that had fashioned a fierce loyalty between the three when she had died when they were all young.

It wasn't truly up for debate. Al was still in the suit of armor. Ed was still missing an arm and a leg. At the end of everything, none of what Albus Dumbledore said truly mattered. Nicholas Elric had, perhaps, not inherited the natural intelligence, but he had inherited the loyalty.

"I'm not going anywhere," he stated. His tone, or the words, quieted Ed's anger. "Sorry." He grinned at Dumbledore. "Still got some things to do. And even if I didn't, my family is here."

The old man didn't exactly look disappointed and he stood. "If that is what you wish."

"Yeah…" Nicky watched him a moment. He hadn't expected Dumbledore to give up just like that and an uneasy feeling settled into his chest.

Xxxxxxxxx

Nicky trailed his fingertips over the spines of the books, trying his best to pay attention to the actual names. It had been two days since he'd met Albus Dumbledore and he had agreed to get back to what they'd been doing before that.

Ed had finally admitted defeat with Plan A, at least. Running around town with drawings of the girl's pet and asking every random person they saw about it hadn't worked out but Ed was way too stubborn to really give up.

Nicky was distracted, he couldn't help it. He'd been unable to think of much else but Dumbledore and all the man had told him. Even nightmares he'd had for a long time after he'd gone through The Gate had come back.

He wondered briefly what his life would have been like if he hadn't ended up in this world and adopted by the Elric's. Dumbledore had mentioned a Godfather and Nicky knew who it was. The replay he'd gotten had included clear pictures of his birth parents and a couple of their apparent friends.

Sirius Black. He'd even seen the memory where Lily and James Potter had asked the man to be his Godfather. He wondered if he would have lived with Sirius Black or even if he would have survived if he hadn't been blown into a different world that night.

"Ah, Harry. I've been looking for you."

Nicky gave a start and turned to face Dumbledore. "How'd you get in here?" He asked first because this library wasn't public and he and Al had only gotten in because of Ed's standing in the military.

Dumbledore only smiled and the uneasy feeling that he'd felt last time they'd been in the same room together came back. He glanced around. Ed and Al were in different parts of the library, though.

"What are you still doing here anyway?" Nicky frowned at the man. "Thought you'd be leaving."

"Not yet. The spell to get back is rather complicated. Also, I did wish to learn a bit more about world you call home now."

"And what exactly did you learn?" Nicky asked warily.

"I learned a bit more about you, actually. As well as your brothers."

Nicky sighed but wasn't surprised. It would have been easy, after all. Ed had become pretty famous since he'd become a state alchemist and, because they traveled with Ed, he and Al had gotten a bit of that as well.

"I must say, I was most intrigued by this power you and your brothers posses now."

"It's not magic," Nicky stated immediately.

"If you would?" Dumbledore sat down at the nearby table and gestured to the chair across from him. "I would like to speak with you again."

Nicky hesitated and considered going to find his brothers. "Why? I already told you I'm not going back with you."

"Yes, I know and I will not argue with that decision. But it would be nice, I think, to get to know you a little bit before I leave. I can at least tell Sirius that you are well and happy."

Nicky chewed his lip but relented at that. He wondered, even as he sat down, if the man really was trying to guilt trip him.

"What do you want to know?"

"Actually, there is something I would like to show you as well." The man reached into a pocket and pulled out what looked like a photo album. He pushed it across the table towards Nicky, who swallowed before reaching for it. As soon as he picked it up, Dumbledore spoke again.

"I'm very sorry Harry, but the prophesy must come first."

Nicky's head snapped up, eyes wide. Moving faster than should be allowed, Dumbledore reached for him, his hand clasped down on Nicky's.

"Nicky?" He had time to look to his left and meet Ed's eyes before he felt the strange sensation like his insides were being squeezed and he and Dumbledore disappeared from the library.


	3. Chapter 3

Nicky dropped to his knees, fighting the urge to throw up as soon as Dumbledore released him.

"I am sorry. The first time can be a bit…disorientating."

And it was, and a normal boy probably would have stayed on the floor to give his stomach time to settle. But Nicky wasn't normal and had been in too many life or death situations to count since Ed had joined the military.

Instead of giving the time, Nicky struck first. He swept one leg out, taking Dumbledore completely by surprise. The leg sweep worked and Dumbledore fell. Nicky didn't wait, rolling backwards and clapping his hands together, using a trick that Ed liked, and had taught him, he pressed his hands to the floor and a wall sprang up between he and the old man.

Before he could even get to his feet, however, there was a crack and Dumbledore appeared right on his side of the wall he'd created.

"Harry…" He sounded a bit put out, which Nicky didn't think he had the right to be. Dumbledore wasn't the one who'd just been kidnapped after all. He rolled again, barely missing the red light that shot from the man's wand.

But Dumbledore was extremely powerful and the next spell he sent out, Nicky didn't even see coming. Ropes sprang out from nothing, binding around his arms, pinning them to his sides and effectively keeping him from retaliating.

"Son of a bitch!" Nicky yelled, glaring at the man.

Xxxxxxxxx

"That son of a bitch!" Ed yelled loud enough that his voice carried through most of the library. At least, loud enough to bring Al running.

"Brother?"

"That bastard took Nicky," Ed said, practically vibrating with rage. He let out a few more swears that probably would have had Al scolding him if not for the situation.

"Dumbledore?" Al asked, a note of panic entering his voice.

"Who do you think?!" As second later, Ed swore yet again when several books fell from the bookcase behind him and they were greeted by a booming voice.

"Edward Elric!" Major Armstrong said, much too loudly for a library and he, _literally, _moved the two bookcases aside. "There you are!" Turned out, Armstrong had sought them out because he had information on the girl they'd been searching for but Ed had completely forgotten about that. That didn't matter with Nicky missing.

"Actually, Major," Al started after exchanging a look with Ed, "there is something else we could use your help with."

_Yes, _Ed thought, _if Armstrong or Mustang could help them find Dumbledore, that was fine. Then I'll kill the bastard myself. _

Xxxxxxxxx

"I truly am sorry, Harry."

Nicky raised an eyebrow because he thought he did see actual remorse in Dumbledore's eyes. "If you were sorry, you'd let me go. Or at least call me by the name I asked you to." He squirmed, trying to loosen the ropes. He was sitting on the floor still while Dumbledore prepared his spell.

"I am." Dumbledore paused. "I do not like making you unhappy. But, it is necessary."

Nicky scowled. "I can see it. You know what you're doing is wrong. I think its worse. You're worse. I've met people like you before."

"You may have. But, I do want you to know I'm not doing this because I wish to. I'm doing it for-"

"The greater good?" Nicky cut him off, his scowl only deepening. "That's what makes you worse. You have a conscious…or, at least I'm assuming you do. But just because you feel bad about it after doesn't make what you're doing any less bad."

"I am aware of that."

"A while back, this guy went after Ed because of a war that happened years ago. Tried to kill him just because Ed's a state alchemist, cause of what the state alchemists did in the war to this guy's people. He was going to murder a fifteen year old boy for what he viewed as 'the greater good'," Nicky paused, and was sure to put disgust in his voice, "you're just like him."

"I am not doing this to kill anyone. Only to save countless lives. I would think you'd want that as well. Do you often sit by and let people die?"

Nicky pulled at the ropes in frustration. "The guilt trip's not going to work. I can't save any of your people the way you want me to because I can't do your…magic."

"I've seen your power," Dumbledore stated, placing a hand on the wall Nicky had created.

"It's not magic," Nicky repeated, fighting the urge to yell when the old man ignored him.

"I believe we are ready. I am truly sorry." He pulled Nicky to his feet just as they heard footsteps. Major Armstrong appeared first, and Nicky had never been happier to see the man. Then there were his brothers, standing on either side of the Major.

"I'd advise letting the boy go," Armstrong said, bringing his fists up.

Dumbledore did not answer them, instead only activated the spell. There was bright light, nearly blinding and Nicky saw Ed and Al running towards them. They had just made it to the outer circle of the designs Dumbledore had drawn when Nicky felt a tugging sensation on his insides and the room disappeared.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Ed saw what was happening a second before it even started. There were ropes tied securely around Nicky and he stood in the center of a circle of designs with the old man. He didn't know much about this power the old man had, only what the man had told him before but he knew that this couldn't be good.

He started running without even thinking about it, Al right beside him because he'd seen the same thing. They reached the outer ring just as Dumbledore activated the spell. There was a blinding light and Ed felt a strange sensation. He was blown backwards and his head bounced off something solid. He sank into blackness.

Xxxxxxxxx

Nicky landed hard. He lay still for a moment, trying to fight of the nausea. When he finally sat up, he stared, wide eyed, at the castle in front of him.

"Where the hell are we?" He asked, horrified.

"This, my boy, is Hogwarts."

Nicky's jaw dropped, as well as his stomach. "Oh shit."

Xxxxxxxxx

Al landed solidly on his feet. The light was gone, replaced by the darkness of night and he stood, shocked, surrounded by trees. He looked around franticly. He must have gotten caught up in whatever it was Dumbledore had done. But Ed had been right beside him…

"Brother!" He yelled when he finally spotted Ed, crumpled on the ground, unconscious. "Brother?" He bent so he could grip Ed's shoulders. "Ed!" He yelled. Ed jerked awake.

"Al? Wha…?" He groaned and brought a hand up to rub his head after he sat up. "Where are we?"

"I'm not sure. I think we got caught up in that spell of Dumbledore's."

Ed's eyes widened and he glanced around at the forest they'd found them in. "Oh shit."

Xxxxxxx

Nicky sat glaring across at Dumbledore. They were in the man's office. Dumbledore had removed the ropes but Nicky didn't try anything, at least he wouldn't yet. Dumbledore had walked him through the castle and he was sure there were people there who supported the man. Not to mention the fact that Dumbledore himself was extremely powerful.

"I know that you are not happy with me."

"That's an understatement," Nicky said. "Why did you even do this? You know I'm never going to cooperate with you, not after this."

"I hope to change that eventually. Until then, I do want to make sure you are as happy as you can be. I think it's time you meet your godfather."

Xxxxxxxx

Nicky had never been angrier than he was when he stepped into what Dumbledore had said was Sirius Black's home. He'd made an escape attempt as soon as they'd gotten out of Hogwarts but Dumbledore had proven that he was as powerful as Nicky had thought.

"Before we find Sirius, I want you to know that I have taken steps to assure that you are both safe here and…that you cannot leave just yet."

"Of course you did," Nicky said through gritted teeth. "I want you to know that all of this is just reinforcing my resolve to never help or trust you."

Dumbledore sighed sadly but before he could say anything, Sirius Black appeared at the end of the hall. He stopped short, staring at Nicky like he was seeing a ghost.

"Harry?" He choked out. Nicky hated Dumbledore even more.

Xxxxxxxxx

"Finally!" Ed dropped down on his back in the grass and stared up at the stars. "No more trees!"

"Brother…" Al wasn't looking at him, instead staring at something to his left. Ed sat up and stared at the castle as well. He'd seen in earlier, when he'd finally, in frustration and sure that they were running around in circles, had made himself a bit of a platform so he could rise above the trees and see where they needed to go to get out of the forest they'd found themselves in.

"This place is insane!" They'd run across several strange creatures while they'd been in the forest, a few of which had tried to attack them. Ed stood, turning serious.

"You think that's where Nicky is?"

"I don't know. It's the school, isn't it? He said it was a castle. It's got to be the school."

Ed nodded, and started off towards the castle.

Xxxxxxxx

Nicky glared down at the table, refusing to meet Sirius Black's eyes for the moment. Dumbledore had left shortly after they'd arrived with an 'I suppose you two should like to catch up'.

"If you're tired, you can sleep but I would like to talk to you," Sirius said and Nicky sighed, raising his head. "I'm very sorry, Harry. I promised Lily and James that I'd look after you if anything happened to them. I didn't do a very good job of it." He paused and stood. "I do have something…"

Nicky watched him rush out of the room and dropped his head on the table hard. Dumbledore, apparently, hadn't told Sirius much, and Nicky had his own dilemma because of that. He couldn't hate the man. He hadn't been in on the kidnapping but, at the same time, he didn't know if Sirius would have been if Dumbledore had asked him to be.

"Here it is." Sirius came back into the room and set a photo album in front of Nicky. He opened it, and stared down at the moving pictures of Lily and James Potter for a moment. He'd seen them both before, when he'd gone through the Gate.

"How much do you trust Dumbledore?" Nicky asked finally, looking up at Sirius.

"I trust Dumbledore with my life," Sirius answered instantly. "He's probably the main reason I'm not in Azkaban right now." He went on to explain about some spell his parents had used to keep themselves hidden and how they'd been betrayed by an old friend.

Nicky closed the photo album. "Look, I'm not sure if you're even going to believe this. And I'm sure Dumbledore can come up with a hundred justifications or lies about what he did…but he brought me here against my will. I don't know why he even left me here with you-"

"He had no choice in that. Your parents' wishes were very specific. I suppose he could have fought it in court if he really wanted to but he would have lost."

"Right, so he would have had to bring me here eventually. Still, he could have delayed it. He was the only one who knew about me, after all." Dumbledore had claimed that he simply wanted to make Nicky as happy as possible. Nicky had seen real remorse on the man's face, so he guessed it was possible. Also, Dumbledore was most likely thinking about ways to get him to cooperate…

"What is this about, Harry? Whatever Dumbledore's done, I'm sure it's in your best interest."

Nicky raised an eyebrow. "Doubt kidnapping me away from my family and bringing me forcefully into a war I want no part of is in my best interest."

"Kidnapping?"

Nicky nodded, hesitating a moment. But he supposed it wouldn't hurt, telling Sirius the truth. He leaned forward and started his story.

Xxxxxxxx

"This place is insane," Ed repeated, staring wide eyed around the castle. At the moving staircases and moving pictures. The hallways were deserted as it was night.

"Yeah…" Al paused. "We need to find someone who will help."

"How the hell are we supposed to do that?" Ed asked with a groan. "The only person we know from this world kidnapped our brother. Who knows who is in his pocket."

"We have to find someone. We can't get back without help. And we might not even be able to find Nicky without it."

"I see you found your way here after all." The familiar voice came from behind them and Ed turned, rage boiling as soon as he caught sight of the old man.

"Son of a bitch!" Ed tried lunging at the man, but Al held him back automatically. "Let go! Where is our brother?!"

"Wait…Brother! We can't find Nicky if you kill him."

"I'm not gonna kill him yet," Ed said, seething, his glare not softening in the least. "I'm just gonna make him tell me where Nicky is."

The old man sighed. "Follow me. Since you're already here, I suppose it would do no good to keep you away."

They did follow, Al the only thing keeping Ed from attacking Dumbledore. Al did not let him go until they reached Dumbledore's office.

"Where is Nicky?" Al asked. He was calmer than Ed but just as worried.

Dumbledore opened his mouth to answer but was cut off when the door to his office banged open. Sirius Black stood in the doorway several seconds, the fury in his eyes very nearly outmatching Ed's.

"Sirius…"

The man didn't give Dumbledore time to try and explain. Instead, he marched over and landed a punch to Dumbledore's cheek, the blow sending the man backwards and almost out of his seat.

Surprise replaced some of the anger Ed had been feeling. "Guess there are people here that know the old man's a bastard."


	4. Chapter 4

Nicky slammed both fists against the door in frustration. He'd been trying unsuccessfully since Sirius had left to get himself out of the house. Whatever Dumbledore had done to keep him in the house was working well.

He gritted his teeth when the noise woke the painting in the hall that Sirius had said was of his mother. She was certainly a lovely woman, screeching out swears at the moment. He pressed his fingers against his temples.

The longer he was there, the more desperation started to creep in on him. Even if he got out of the house, he had no idea how to get back to his own world. Dumbledore was the only one who knew how.

Xxxxxxxxx

"I've always known you were a bit off your rocker," Sirius started in after the punch. He placed his fists on Albus' desk, glaring at the man. "But now I'm convinced. You are completely mad!"

"Sirius-"

"Kidnapping a child?! And now you want to bring him into a war? You want him to fight the most powerful dark wizard in existence because of some stupid prophesy?!"

"Sirius-"

"I'm telling you right now, Albus. That is not going to happen! I swore a long time ago that I'd do everything I could to protect that kid and that means not sending him off on a suicide mission!"

"Sirius!" Albus finally yelled his name, stopping the rant. His gaze drifted to Ed and Al and, for the first time, Sirius noticed that he had an audience.

"Oh…" His anger gave way to sheepishness. "Students?"

"No way!" Ed protested emphatically. "Like we'd ever go to a school that has a headmaster like that fu-"

"We're looking for our brother, actually," Al cut Ed off before he could build up steam. Sirius blinked, then stared at Al.

"What's with the armor?"

"That doesn't matter," Ed stated, eyes narrowed as he studied Sirius. "You were talking about Nicky just now."

"I…" Surprise entered Sirius' expression. "How did you…?" He paused, and processed what they'd both said. "Edward and Alphonse, right?"

"That's right," Al answered. "You know where Nicky is?"

"Yeah…but he said you two were still back in the other world."

"We got sucked in," Ed said, waving it away. "Where is he?"

"Back at my house. Well, my parent's old house."

"But you'll take us there?" Al asked.

"Yeah, sure. I think he's going a bit crazy already. I understand the sentiment though. That is the last place I'd want to be locked up in." He shuddered.

"Sirius." Dumbledore's tone was grave, with a bit of warning behind it. "I do not think this would be the best action-"

Sirius held up a hand. "These two really who they say they are?"

"…Yes," Dumbledore answered reluctantly.

"Then save it." He eyed the two boys a moment. "I could apparate us there after we get outside Hogwarts wards but not with you in that." He gestured towards Al.

Neither one of the boys knew what apparating was but that didn't really matter. "Then it'll have to be another way."

Sirius turned to leave the office, Ed and Al following. Dumbledore made a few more protests but, in the end, did not stop them from leaving. Instead he sat back in his seat, trying to massage the headache that was building away.

He was still sure he did the right thing and he had somewhat expected that reaction from Sirius but, in the end, he supposed it would not matter. The prophesy was still there, after all.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Nicky watched the tiny creature with half fascination as it rambled around the kitchen, muttering under its breath. He caught a few words, the same ones the painting in the hall liked to screech, some of which he didn't know. He had no clue what a mudblood was but maybe it was a curse in the wizarding world.

He'd given up on trying to get out for the moment, at least until Sirius got back. Maybe the man could help him on that. Nicky didn't know anything about magic after all so he didn't know what sort of thing Dumbledore could have done to keep him locked in. He was still sitting there when he heard the door open and started to get up.

"I still don't understand how you could see it. It's spelled so that muggles won't be able to." He heard Sirius say, frowning slightly at who the man could be talking to but his eyes widened when a very familiar voice answered.

"What the hell's a muggle? You callin' us names now?"

Nicky could hear the irritation and impatience in that voice even from the other room and he grinned before sprinting out there.

"Ed! Al!" He yelled upon seeing his older brothers. "What are you doing here?" He didn't give Ed time to answer before he threw his arms around the older boy in a short, fierce hug, ignoring the indignant squawk Ed gave at the action.

"We got pulled into the spell," Al answered, sounding relieved. "Dumbledore wasn't going to tell us where you were but he brought us here." Al pointed towards Sirius.

"Yeah, after knocking the old man's block off too," Ed added gleefully.

"Really?" Nicky grinned briefly at Sirius. "Thanks."

Sirius shrugged. "Not a problem, kid." But he looked slightly uncomfortable for a moment.

"How do we get back? How do we even get me outta here? I can't leave," Nicky said, looking from Ed to Al.

"You can't get outta here?" Ed asked. He looked back towards the entrance.

"Wards," Sirius explained. "Dumbledore put up wards to prevent you from leaving."

"Can you break them?" Nicky asked the man curiously.

Sirius shifted awkwardly. "Maybe…I'll have to see to some things. Dumbledore's a great deal more powerful than I am."

Xxxxxx

Two days later, Nicky was seriously thinking of revising his opinion on Sirius Black. At least, if the man compared him to James Potter or slipped up and called him Harry one more time…Plus, there was an almost constant look of guilt on Sirius' face whenever they were in a room together.

"I don't understand why they wants all those books," Sirius said on the third day when he caught Nicky alone in the kitchen. Nicky had to grin. Ed had insisted on helping Sirius find a way to break the wards, ignoring Sirius' protests that both couldn't do magic and had never studied it before.

_"I know how to read," _Ed had grumbled with a glare. "_I'll just mark anything about wards. It'll go faster that way. You won't have to look through everything yourself." _

Nicky frowned a bit. Ed was getting impatient, and angrier the longer they were in the house.

"And the other boy?" Sirius asked. "I haven't asked before but the armor…"

Nicky chewed his lip. "That isn't something I'm willing to discuss."

"Come now. I am your godfather, Harry-" He cut himself off and seemed embarrassed, again, about the slip.

"That," Nicky said with a mild glare, "is something I want to discuss." He paused a moment, considering how he should best frame what he wanted to say. "Look, I know what Lily and James Potter did for me. I know that Lily didn't have to die. She sacrificed herself for me. I respect that, I do, and I'm grateful for it. I want to honor that."

Sirius' eyes grew sad. "That's good-"

Nicky held up a hand. "But," he continued, sitting, "Trisha Elric did raise me. She is my mother, the only one I've ever known. I think…I think Lily and James would have been happy that she was the one who found me. I also think that calling me anything other than Nicholas is disrespectful to the memory of the woman who raised me until her death and to the two brothers I have now that have always been fiercely loyal to me."

Sirius deflated completely at that. "You really are happy? In this other world?"

Nicky smiled. "I am." He had his share of horrible, nightmare worthy memories, the worst of which having been waking up to find Al in a suit of armor and Ed bleeding to death on the floor but those memories didn't detract from everything _good _about his family.

The guilt was back in Sirius' eyes. He spoke hesitantly. "There are some things about me that Albus doesn't know. Back in school, I became adept at wards and how to break them. It was a…talent I've always had, helped along by some of the resources allowed to me as a result of growing up in a family…such as mine."

Nicky stilled. "Are you saying you can break through whatever it is that's keeping me here?"

The look in Sirius' eyes saddened further and he nodded. "I believe I can, given a bit of time."

Nicky's fists clenched and he shook with the effort not to physically attack the man. His own temper had never been quite as explosive as Ed's but he did have one, at times.

"And as to why you haven't done this before?"

Sirius sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I was going to, after you told me Albus had kidnapped you away from your home. I was…angry but I suppose I had too much time to think about it and I realized…I just wanted the chance to get to know you. I wanted the chance to…"

"So, what? If you'd been there with the old man you would have gone along with it? You would've helped him take me away?"

"No!" The instant refusal was loud. "I just…I'd like to think I would have just stayed there. I just wanted to get to know you."

Nicky stood slowly. "I think you should start working out how to break through it. I'm going to talk to my brothers."

Xxxxxxxx

After Nicky told Ed and Al, and barely managing to keep Ed from finding Sirius and killing the man, the three of them sat in the room that that they'd been sleeping in since arriving at the house. Ed was still fuming but Nicky was reasonably sure he was going to jump up and chase Sirius down, or at least not in the next few minutes.

"I just wanna get back," Nicky said. "And get away from all these supposedly well meaning adults." After only spending days in this world, in the company of Sirius Black and Albus Dumbledore, Nicky had a new appreciation for the adults in his world, for Armstrong and Mustang and Hawkeye.

"How are we gonna do that?" Ed asked, dropping back on the bed he was sitting on, his tone frustrated. "Maybe there's a way through alchemy but I don't even know if anyone can do it here which means there might not be any way to learn how…All my books are back in our world."

"That is…not strictly true."

Ed, Al, and Nicky's heads snapped in the direction of the door. Both Nicky and Ed glared at Sirius. "What do you want? Have you figured out how to get me outta here yet?"

"Not yet," Sirius said, holding up his hands in surrender. "But…there are alchemists here. They're surprisingly rare, most wizards do not follow that line of study but there are some."

"And you'll put us in touch with one?" Al asked.

"Yes. What you're talking about attempting would be difficult but there is one alchemist who is many centuries old. If anyone would know how, it may be him."

"How is he that old?" Nicky asked with a frown. "Wizards don't live that long do they?"

"He is most famous for his creation of the Philosopher's Stone."

All three boys stilled and the blood drained from Nicky's face. Ed jumped to his feet after a moment, his golden brown eyes impossibly wide with shock. Nicky opened and closed his mouth several times in shock but it was Al, finally, who managed a word.

"What?"


	5. Chapter 5

I have to say…FMA Brotherhood may be my favorite anime of all time. Every time I start working on this story again, it makes me want to watch the anime again.

Also, I'm not entirely sure how the prophesy orbs work in the books. I remember that when Harry and his friends went to find his, some of them were glowing and some of them weren't, that they were described as looking like burned out light bulbs. I kind of figured the burned out ones were the ones where the prophesies had already come to pass or were invalid or something…

xxxxxxx

Ed was pacing. Nicky watched him a little warily. He and Al were sitting on the floor of the room that Sirius had said they could use until he could figure out how to break down the wards keeping him in the house. But Ed was practically bursting with pent up energy. It wasn't really a surprise. He always was like that whenever they thought they were getting close to something of a solution.

"We should wait," Al spoke up finally.

"Wait?"

"Maybe we should plan it. Sirius said that Dumbledore would know when the wards broke. We should wait to see if he can set up a meeting with this guy."

Ed nodded, if a little grudgingly. There was fire in his eyes again, the same type of determination that had gotten him through a recovery in a year, that had gotten him into the military at such a young age and that had him refusing to admit that maybe there wasn't a way to solve the issue of what had happened to Al.

"Who'd of thought we'd find something here, huh?" Nicky asked with a grin.

Xxxxxxxx

When Nicky went downstairs later, he stiffened as he went into the kitchen and found not just Sirius, but Dumbledore as well. They had been having what looked like a heated argument before Nicky interrupted and he paused in the doorway.

"What do you want?" He asked first, glaring.

"I simply wished to speak with you, my boy."

"M'not your _boy," _Nicky stated heatedly but he did walk deeper into the room.

"Sorry about this," Sirius said, walking closer to Nicky. "Your brothers?"

"Ed finally passed out. Al's staying with him," Nicky answered, his gaze not straying from Dumbledore's.

"If we could speak?" The man asked again. "I would very much like it if I could have that chance."

Nicky paused, scowled, and considered telling the man to get out with a few of the more colorful curses he'd heard Ed use at times but he hesitated. It would be a good deal easier to get back home if he didn't have what Sirius had said was the most powerful wizard in the country after him.

"Fine."

"In private?" Dumbledore requested with a look to Sirius, who balked.

"I don't think-"

"No, it's fine," Nicky interrupted. "I'll be fine." He shared a look with Sirius. "Just go." He waited until Sirius reluctantly complied before he turned back towards Dumbledore. He didn't sit, instead placing his hands on the back of the chair. "So?"

"I wish to speak to you about the prophesy."

Nicky held up a hand, something close to rage surging through him. "Look, you're going to have to do a hell of a lot better than that. I'm not staying here…I'm not helping you because of something like that."

"Yes, I had figured as much." Dumbledore settled and Nicky could see actual regret in his eyes. "You have not been in our world and I know you do not understand these things but every time a prophesy is told, they are stored in the ministry. When a prophesy is made void, there is a way to tell that as well."

"And?"

"And I am regretful to realize that perhaps the prophesy concerning you was fulfilled the night that Voldemort attacked you as a baby."

Nicky squeezed the back of the chair until his knuckles turned white. "So, you kidnapped me, brought me here for no reason?" He asked, voice barely controlled.

"No, I am afraid there was another reason." Dumbledore paused, hesitated. "I have been debating with myself on whether you should know this. You are still a child…"

Nicky gritted his teeth but refrained from telling the old man that he may have been young but he hadn't truly been a child for a while. "Tell me now. You know I'm never gonna help you with anything like this. I'll find a way outta here. And then I promise I won't be fighting Voldemort. I'll be fighting you."

Dumbledore hesitated briefly. "There is a connection. One I believe Voldemort created inadvertently himself on the night he attacked you. I believe that he left a piece of himself behind, so to speak."

Nicky stared a moment, and then he laughed. He couldn't help it. He laughed out loud before finally dropping down into the chair. "You're one massive idiot, you know that?"

The stern look he received had no effect. "I do not believe you are not understanding the full implications of this. This…connection ensures that Voldemort cannot be killed while it remains. It could also ensure that Voldemort could find you anywhere, even across worlds, perhaps."

"There is no connection," Nicky snapped. "You really did kidnap me for no reason."

"Harry-"

Nicky slammed his fists down on the table. "I've told you not to call me that." It was his turn to hesitate. Dumbledore was being vague, and Nicky could tell there were things he wasn't saying. For a moment, he thought carefully about what he should say himself next. He could be vague as well, he supposed.

"Listen to me. When I was nine, me and my brothers tried a bit of alchemy that was…dangerous," he started, fully aware of the understatement. "It didn't work and the backlash was…brutal. It ripped everything…_magical _outta me, including what you're talking about."

_"What is that?" _

_His chest heaved as he stared across at the…being before him, in front of the gate. The thing off to the side was hideous, a small thing that made him think of something rotting and he could practically feel the darkness coming off of it. _

Nicky blinked. "It hurt." More than that. He'd felt like he was dying. He remembered waking up on the floor. Al had said later that he'd been screaming and he'd spent a week afterwards barely able to move.

Dumbledore was studying him, probably trying to figure out if he was telling the truth. After a minute, the old man seemed to sag in his seat. "I thank you for telling me this."

"You can thank me by letting me outta this house."

Dumbledore sighed, and stood. "I am sorry but there are things I need to tend to before that would be possible."

Nicky's jaw clenched and he leaned back but he only crossed his arms and let the old man leave without further protest. It didn't really matter anyway. Sirius would break down the wards and then, if his information about Flamel was right…

Nicky got up after a minute, and headed upstairs. When he made it inside the room, he waved briefly at Al before dropping down on the unoccupied bed.

Xxxxxxx

Albus was at a loss. He had been so since his visit to the department of mysteries. He could not pick up the orb that held the prophesy but he could still see it and what he had seen had startled him.

Not only that but Harry's explanation for how he had apparently lost his magic was startling as well. Harry had been vague in his explanation and Albus, although he was usually loathe to do such a thing, had taken a look inside the boy's mind.

What he had seen had been more than just startling, but confusing as well. But the boy had been telling the truth. Albus had felt guilty for taking the child against his will, true, but the sense of guilt hadn't overridden his need to do so.

However, with the prophesy invalid, and with the apparent destruction of the fragment Voldemort had left behind, he found that Harry was right. It was all for nothing. He could practically see every plan he had made since hearing the prophesy being washed away.

For the first time since Harry had disappeared, Albus actually believed Harry Potter, as who he was and who he could have been, was gone.

Xxxxxx

Unless he counted an absent father, Ed could never remember being so pissed off for such a long period of time at any type of supposed well meaning adult. This world, however, and the adults in it seemed to be made for doing just that. Sirius Black and Albus Dumbledore were making him miss_ Mustang. _

"You told the old man?" Ed asked a little incredulously.

Nicky chewed his lip and fidgeted a bit. "I kept it vague. I just told him that I lost this magic stuff and whatever it was that Voldemort left behind."

"You think he believed you?" Al asked before Ed could say anything else.

Nicky shrugged. "Dunno. He still refused to let me out."

"Dammit!"

Xxxxxxx

Nicky groaned when he found himself on the floor again. He lay there a moment before gripping Ed's gloved hand that the older boy had offered. He huffed at the look on his older brother's face but still smiled a bit. They'd been sparring in one of the rooms Sirius had offered them. Al had been the one to suggest it, as Ed had just gotten more and more agitated the longer it took for Sirius to get a reply off of the alchemist.

He'd gotten one reply so far. Short, and asking for more information and Sirius was still trying to convince the man to meet with them. They were all frustrated, of course. Dumbledore hadn't shown back up and Nicky could see Ed calculating how much time they were losing the longer they stayed in this world.

Sparring was a distraction, one that let them all blow off a little steam, even Al, who didn't have the luxury of sleep or other normal human functions any longer. Nicky had let Ed pull him to his feet and was stepping back into a defensive position even if he was pretty sure Ed had already proven that he could kick Nicky's ass that night when Sirius came into the room, holding up a letter.

"Good news," he said, with a smile.

"You got a meeting?" Nicky asked, completely abandoning the sparring positions to bound over to Sirius and grab the offered parchment.

"I did. Somewhere public, of course. I don't think this man trusts me too much."

Nicky shrugged. "Well you said he was several hundred years old. Gotta be a little paranoid, right?"

"Right." He sighed, looked at all three of them in turn. "Well, the meetings not until tomorrow. I think I've worked out how to break down the wards but we should wait until then. Dumbledore will know as soon as they're down."

"Right sure." Nicky nodded, not really paying attention. He turned his attention to Ed, who had that familiar mix of hope of caution on his face. They'd been close before, after all, and it had turned out disappointment.

Plus, Nicky would be wary of meeting with anyone who claimed to have created a stone, considering what they'd learned about how they were made. Still, they'd risk it. Of course they would. He figured it wouldn't be any more dangerous than the things they had gotten up to in the time since Ed had been made a state alchemist.

Really, what was the worst that could happen in a public meeting?

xxxxxx

I know not much happens in this chapter...It was sort of a gateway, I guess to get them to the meeting with the Flamel's, which will happen in the next chapter.


End file.
